She Will Be Loved
by StraightForTheCastle
Summary: Calypso, hoping to officially become part of the gang, goes to their annual summer camp. Before she knows it she's been dragged into an all-out prank war! The following hijinks help both her and Nico come out of their shells. Eventual CaLeo and Solangelo, one-sided Calypso/Percy and Nico/Percy, Rated T for language and slightly mature themes, AU
1. I Guess I'm Going to Camp

Calypso slowly made her way to the table, carefully eyeing the monstrosity that was her friend group. Everyone at the table was screaming over each other so loudly she couldn't even decipher what they were saying. She sat down next to Hazel and whispered, "What did I miss?"  
Hazel's golden eyes shone brightly as she replied, "Camp."  
"What's camp?"  
The simple question was met with overly dramatic gasps of surprise as the entire lunch table tuned into their conversation.  
"'What's camp'?!" Leo screamed wayyy too loudly. Calypso turned to glare at him for shouting in her ear. Leo's usual impish grin was replaced by a wide-mouthed look of shock. His eyes were so wide his eyebrows disappeared under the mop of curls on his head. However, the thing that drew Calypso's attention wasn't his expression, but the bright pink floral bonnet balanced on his head. It probably had to do with another idiotic prank he'd pulled. Leo reminded her of a sarcastic chihuahua on crack.  
"I keep forgetting that she's new!" Piper exclaimed, and playfully hit Jason on the arm. Piper's choppy braids brushed the table as she leaned over to whisper, "So every summer the Demigods go to camp together and have the most fun in the entire world. Seriously, it's like the best thing ever."  
Calypso rolled her eyes upon hearing the stupid name they'd given themselves. The Demigods. It's as if they're some kind of clique. It made trying to be their friend super intimidating because they just seemed so _together_. She refused to even bother trying until he talked to her. He invited her into their group and the rest just followed his lead. But hearing that silly nickname just reminded her that even after 4 months she was still just the new girl.  
"Hey, you should totally come with us!" said a voice that had just approached the table. Calypso looked up and locked eyes with Percy Jackson. He smiled, "You guys are talking about camp, right?"  
Calypso felt her face flush. Here he was including her in the group, again. She watched him shake his raven hair out of his sea green eyes and swooned. He was the first person to talk to her when she came to Goode High School. Of course she noticed his looks right away; long, lean, and dreamy. But above all Percy was nice. Which made him all the more lovable. The fire in her heart was immediately extinguished though when the beautiful blonde took the seat next to him.  
"Yeah you should definitely come! It'll be so much more fun if all of us are there." Annabeth nodded and absentmindedly wiped ketchup off of Percy's face.  
Annabeth's kindness only made things worse. Calypso was riddled with guilt for wishing Percy would love her when Annabeth continuously tried to include her in the group. She could never compete with Annabeth. Not only was it impossible to beat that girl at literally anything, but it was clear to everyone that her and Percy were in love. They had this natural chemistry that was almost palpable. They flowed together so perfectly. It was disgusting.  
"Calypso?" Piper prompted, looking between Calypso and the couple. Piper's knowing kaleidoscope eyes unnerved Calypso, like she could see right into her heart.  
"Um..I don't know." She replied looking down at the table.  
Hazel touched her arm and said softly, "This really is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. After this, all the first gen Demigods are graduating. They're going to college. This really could be it."  
Her words hung in the air. Hazel had started getting choked up and bit her lip to stop from crying. Frank looked confused and worried, like he wanted to comfort her but didn't know how. Everyone seemed to be struggling with the realization that their group would be separated after this summer. The tension was broken when Annabeth leaned over the table to console Hazel.  
"We're not leaving. It's just the next stage of our amazing adventure. You guys will make your own memories but we'll always be here to help whenever you need us." Annabeth said softly.  
Then, not so softly, Percy laughed, "Yeah, you guys are the only ones who can keep up with us. Even though," he added, clapping Jason on the shoulder, "I'm totally still better than you."  
Everyone laughed as the piercing ring of the dismissal bell signaled that lunch was over. Since it was the last day of school, classes had been cut short so people started milling around to leave.  
Calypso smiled and her eyes fell to the Latino across from her. She'd noticed that when he wasn't being an ADHD idiot, he would look down at his hands and tap a little beat. For a second, he'd look sad. And then it was gone with a manic grin. She watched as Leo's eyes caught on something in the distance and a spark lit up behind the chocolate orbs. He stood up so fast the bonnet almost fell off of his head. Grinning, he looked around the table, "I gotta go check on something. I'll see you guys at camp!"  
"O-kay. That was weird." Calypso mumbled watching him run off.  
"Knowing Leo, he probably just thought of a great way to get himself killed." Jason laughed.  
"So what are we doing now? Last day of school, no more classes...just head to camp?" Frank asked. Annabeth shrugged, "Go home and pack. Make sure everything's ready for the summer. I know a lot of us are carpooling so just text Percy, Piper, or Bianca when you're ready to be picked up."  
Everyone looked at Calypso. Giving in, she sighed, "I'll ask," she had to yell to be heard over the cheers of her friends, "BUT my dad doesn't really let me go anywhere. I mostly just stay in my room or do chores."  
Percy rolled his eyes, "You should call your dad and be all like, 'Screw you, I'm spending the summer with my amazing as balls friends. Calypso out!" He signaled dropping the mic.  
"...Percy in what world would that not get me killed?"  
"At least you'll have fun before you die!"  
Calypso laughed, "Well that would definitely make summer interesting." Biting her lip she added, "Okay I should go home and try to catch my dad in a good mood."  
"See you at camp!" Piper called after her in a sing-song voice. She walked away to the sound of her friends laughing.  
She slowly made her way down the hall, careful not to bump into any of her classmates as they cheered and raced out of the building. Among the crowd, Calypso noticed a whooping Leo being chased by Coach Hedge who was swearing and tripping over his pink floral grandma dress. Calypso was completely frozen by the scene unfolding in front of her. Unfortunately, before she was able to register the fact that Leo was running towards her with no sign of stopping, she was already on the floor with a panting Latino on top of her.

"Balls, sorry." Leo lifted himself a few inches so he was now able to look down at her, his eyes covered by unruly curls. Calypso noticed that he was still grinning and, with his hair in his eyes, he oddly resembled a mad scientist. She half expected him to scream, "Pull the switch!" With a glance at Calypso, he jumped to his feet and offered her his hand.

"S'Okay", Calypso groaned while shew dusted herself off. She punched his shoulder and screamed, "Leo, what did you do?!"

"¡Oye!" Leo exclaimed, rubbing his arm. She pointed at the mess of floral pattern on the floor that was Coach Hedge as he struggled to get up and chase the teen. "He won't see me all summer," Leo replied simply, "I had to give him something to remember me by."

"Well, I doubt he'll forget this." She mumbled, a small smile tugging at her lips as she stared at Coach Hedge tripping over the fabric, "I doubt anyone will."She turned to look at the boy and incredulously asked, "Shouldn't you be getting ready for camp? How do you have time to cause this much trouble?"

"Piper's taking me, but she has an Art project she needs to turn in before we go. I was going to hang out in the Art room with her, but she said I'm too 'distracting'" he put in air quotations and rolled his eyes before he continued, "so she told me not to bother her unless it's life or death."

Calypso gestured to where Coach Hedge, who had finally torn himself out of the dress, was standing looking for Leo, "I think this counts."

Leo turned in time to to lock eyes with Coach Hedge, the short man's face turning bright red as he charged for the teen.

"Oh crap!" Leo squeaked and raced down the hall. He turned, running backwards, and waved at Calypso with a giant grin on his face, "I'll see you at camp!"

"Maybe, if you don't die first!" She called back to him.

He just winked at her and turned around, bolting towards the Art room.

Calypso rolled her eyes as Coach Hedge's echoed cries of; "VALDEZ!" followed her to the parking lot.  
***************************************************************

The sun was stifling as Nico walked across the grounds of Goode High School.

He headed towards the shade of a lone pine tree and took out his headphones. Nico plopped down at the base of the tree and closed his eyes, leaning into the cool bark. He always came out here during lunch; it was quiet and he was alone. No pestering eyes or loud conversations. It was nice.

A pinecone hit the top of his head and he opened his eyes in frustration. _Well, so much for that_ , he thought.

"Stupid tree." He muttered.

Another pinecone sailed into his face.

"What?!" He screamed and glared up at the branches. Sitting gracefully on the bough was a girl with flaming red curls, bright green eyes, and a sly grin that made her look like a ginger Chessur cat. Wrapped in her pale, delicate fingers was a pinecone.

He yanked out his headphones and scowled, "Rachel! What are you doing?"

Rachel snickered, "Lounging! I was going to climb down but you looked so peaceful! I figured it'd be a shame if someone disturbed you."

Nico rolled his eyes and put his headphones back in, deciding to ignore her. He should've known better, Rachel Elizabeth Dare was not one to be ignored. She let loose another pinecone, this one smacking him on the crown of his head. Nico gritted hit teeth as Rachel landed with a thump next to him. Leaves stuck wildly out of her fiery red mane making her look like a jungle woman. She smiled up at him and took out his headphones.

"So whatcha doing out here?"

"I come out here every day so the real question is what are _you_ doing out here?"

Rachel shrugged, "I feel that class on the last day of school is irrelevant. There's nothing they can teach us in one day that they failed to teach for a whole year."

"Then why even bother coming to school?" Nico asked.

"'Cause it sure beats being at home." Rachel muttered.

Nico nodded. It was well-known that Rachel was the daughter of a wealthy businessman, but Rachel despised the work her father did. She distanced herself from them and their money in any way she could, from charity work to wearing the same raggedy, sharpie covered jeans everyday. She never liked talking about her home life, which Nico understood. He liked Rachel. She seemed to be one of the few people who wasn't awkward around him. But he never knew how to talk to her so they sat in silence for a while before a familiar figure approached them. _Wow_ , Nico thought, _I must be popular today_.

"Hey guys, have you seen Fletcher?" Kayla asked. She looked similar to her brother, but their personalities could not be more different. Nico had never spent a lot of time with Will but he seemed nice and calm whereas Kayla was sassy and rambunctious. Nico couldn't handle being around her for fear of getting a migraine.

"I haven't seen him. Why?" Rachel responded.

"I appear to have temporarily misplaced him." Kayla said with pursed lips.

In her most condescending adult voice, Rachel asked, "Where were you when you lost him?"

Kayla exaggerated looking thoughtful and replied, "It was in the lunchroom….he was being stalked by Drew Tanaka."

"Oh, well then he's a goner. I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this, but Lee is no more." Rachel said in a grave voice.

"Damn. There goes another one." Kayla stomped her foot and shook her head dramatically.

"He had such potential." Rachel tsked.

Nico shook his head, "How did I get stuck with you guys?"

"Fate took pity on you and decided to overload your life with awesome." Kayla flourished her hands out in a "Voila!" gesture.

"Why didn't you save Fletcher from Drew Tanaka while you had the chance? He's probably dead by now." Nico asked.

"He tried saying he was a better archer than me and well, I figured payback is a bitch best served in the form of Drew Tanaka. I kinda...told her he had an extra ticket to a Taylor Swift concert and was trying to find someone to go with." Kayla said looking down at her shoes in shame.

"Kayla!" Rachel and Nico chastised in unison but Rachel immediately fell over laughing hysterically.

"Remind me to never get on your bad side." Nico mumbled.

Kayla shrugged, "I'm sure he'll be fine. Nothing too permanently damaged." She sat down on the grass opposite them and added, "So what are you guys doing out here? The bell already rang. You can leave."

"Well, Percy and Annabeth are taking me to camp and I already have my stuff in his car so I'm really just waiting for Annabeth to get her multitude of textbooks out of her locker." Rachel said looking up at the tree. She'd made herself comfortable by laying on the grass. Her entire personality reminded Nico of a temperamental house cat.

"Bianca is probably looking for me but I don't care. They're just going to yell at me for not packing." Nico indignantly started pulling up the grass.

Kayla noticed Nico's expression and questioned, "What? Are you not planning to go this year?"

Nico hesitated. He didn't want to go to camp, but he knew that regardless of his feelings his father would force him to go. They go every year. Still, the idea of spending another summer in the shadows, being ridiculed and feared set Nico's teeth on edge.

Before he could answer, Rachel interjected, "Of course he is! He has to."

Kayla shrugged, "You and Calypso, you'll be missing out."

"Is Calypso not going?"

Kayla smirked, "I heard them talking about it at lunch. She said no, but she's gonna cave. Mark my words, Calypso is going to be at camp with us this summer. I think this year's going to be a big one. Besides I hear that Percy's throwing a huge party to celebrate graduation. It's gonna be even crazier than the Rager of '09."

Nico's body tensed at the name. It always seemed to send electricity through his body, immediately followed by deep, deep dread. _Just another reason to stay home this summer._ Nico thought bitterly.

Kayla suddenly got to her feet and said, "Well, I have to go save a man from the feminine wiles of a crazy bitch," and turned on her heel and walked away.

"What? No goodbye? That's a bit rude." Nico said sarcastically. He turned to find Rachel's face startlingly close to his. Nico exclaimed in surprise and fell backwards.

Rachel ignored his flailing and said knowingly, "You're going to camp. So is Calypso."

Still splayed out on the ground, Nico glared up at her, "And what on earth makes you so sure?"

Rachel smiled as if she knew some inside joke, but refused to tell, "Because something big is going to happen to you guys this summer. Something that's going to change everything." She stood up and looked down at Nico.

In response to his skeptical expression, she added, "Trust me, if you go to camp, you won't regret it. I know these things." She laughed and danced away, leaving a dumbstruck Nico alone, sprawled out underneath a tree.


	2. Calypso POV

Calypso slowly walked into her house and softly called, "Hello? Is anybody home?"

An indignant groan came from the living room. _This is stupid_ , she thought. _I don't even want to go to that stupid camp._ At that moment her phone started buzzing in her hand. It was a text from Piper. There was a picture of all of her friends, sun-browned and smiling. Nico looked younger and more carefree with eyes that shone with admiration at Percy who had his arms flung around Annabeth and Grover. Frank was shyly watching Hazel as she talked animatedly to Piper and Jason while Leo winked suggestively at the camera he was holding. She could even see the Stoll brothers pushing a flailing Katie into a lake. Below the picture was a single sentence that, in Calypso's opinion, was Piper playing dirty. "You'll be missing out."

She knew she was being manipulated. Yet, somehow, she knew that she really _would_ be missing out. This was it. This was her time to truly become a part of the group. All she had to do now was ask.

"Dad?" Calypso started as she walked into the dim living room. Her father sat on the recliner opposite the TV. He worked at a warehouse lifting and transporting the heavy platforms and as a result had back problems and random pains. Because of this, he expected Calypso to pick up the 'slack' at the house. He barely turned to look at her before letting out another groan.

"Um, I was wondering.." She began, trying her hardest to calm herself, but her nerves got the best of her and she began stumbling over her words, "Since it's summer now and we don't really have any plans and my friends are graduating and really they've been pressuring me, well not _really_ pressuring me because if I said no I think they would respect it but that's besides the point because-"

"What the hell are you mumbling about, girl?"

Calypso felt the words die in her throat. "Um.."

"Well? Speak! It's not like you've ever shut up before!"

A shiver ran down her spine. He'd been drinking. She should've checked before she'd started talking but like an idiot she'd rushed the question. She tried to count the cans around his feet but stopped when she noticed him shift in his seat. Bloodshot eyes glared into hers.

"Just as pathetic as your whore mother," He sneered, "I should've let the state have you when they tried dumping you on my doorstep."

Calypso felt the tickle of tears welling up but refused to let them fall. She knew he didn't mean it. He'd been drinking. But as she looked at the malicious glint in his eyes she wondered if it made a difference.

Calypso's eyes fell to the floor. Her mom had gotten sick when she was young. She didn't remember much but she remembered her mom's smile. Bright, cheerful, and genuine with a crooked bottom tooth. Her smile became less frequent and more weary as the sickness grew until it was gone altogether. She was taken to live with her father who got paid a hefty sum for taking her in. She knew he didn't care for her the way he was supposed to, but she needed him, needed someone. The tears began spilling over her cheeks and she cursed herself silently for being so weak. He was right. She was pathetic.

"Sniveling like a child. How could I spawn something so weak?" He spat at her. He slowly rose from his chair and, against her will, Calypso shrank away from him. "You'll always be weak, always be nothing. Your mother ruined you." He shoved past her and she fell to the floor. She flinched away as he walked past her, expecting a strike. He chuckled gruffly and her heart sank. Still weak. Still pathetic.

Calypso curled in on herself. She should've known better. It was stupid to think she could just go to camp like a normal person. She shouldn't have even tried. Now her father was mad at her and it was all her fault. She'd always be a burden wherever she went.

Her phone vibrated underneath her. She ignored it. The phone had other plans. Sighing, she looked at who it was and was only mildly surprised to find that Piper and Hazel were blowing up her phone. Apparently they were heading to camp and it was her "last chance to join in on the fun". She was already typing in "No" when she got a call from the last person she wanted to talk to.

"Percy?" She said slowly, hating that her heart skipped a beat.

"Actually it's Annabeth." came the light reply, "I didn't have your number so I used Seaweed Brain's phone."

"Oh." Calypso said in both relief and disappointment, "What's up, Annabeth?"

"Um," Annabeth paused, and Calypso could imagine her pursing her lips on the other end, "Listen, I don't want you to feel pressured into doing anything you don't want to do so if you tell me no then I'll let it slide and make sure no one else bothers you about it."

There was a beat of silence before Calypso responded, "...Okay?"

"That being said, I want you to know how much it would mean to everyone if you were with us. I know what it's like being the new kid. You always feel judged and alone because you weren't there for all of the stories and memories. But now you can make new memories with us. This could be the summer we talk about for years to come and I don't want you to miss out just because you think you aren't good enough because you really really are."

Calypso opened her mouth to speak but all that came out was a squeak as tears streamed down her face. She didn't know what to feel anymore. Her dad hated her but her friends maybe liked her and Annabeth was being so nice but she didn't know Calypso's true feelings for her boyfriend. Her head was spinning and she felt sick.

"So, what do you say? Do you want to give it a shot?" Annabeth asked softly.

Calypso looked up the stairs where her father had disappeared. He'd completely demoralized her. He always did. She was convinced she was worthless, only around so he could get his freaking checks. Why should she stay here and clean up after him like some kind of Cinderella waiting for someone to come and save her? She didn't need to be saved. _I'm not weak._

Suddenly furious, she gave a firm, "Yes. I'll send Piper my address."

Calypso could hear the grin in Annabeth's voice, "Cool. See you there."

She sent a quick text to Piper who, she was sure, was going to gloat later and marched up the stairs to her room. In a swirl, she grabbed handfuls of clothes and shoved them in a suitcase. She piled in as many essentials as she could think of and made a final sweep over her room. Crossing to her dresser, she picked up a small and withered photo of her mom gardening. She had curly brown hair with streaks of gray pulled up into a messy bun on top of her head. Dirt was smeared across her face but she smiled brilliantly with both hands buried in the dirt pulling up weeds. Calypso felt a familiar pain in her chest that came every time she thought of her mother. Tucking the photo safely away, she made her way to her father's door.

She'd thought about just leaving without telling him, but the last thing she needed was to be classified as a runaway and taken away by the police. Which was definitely her luck. So she took a deep breath and swung the door open. The room was dark and it took some time for her eyes to adjust but the could tell the lump on the bed was her father's sleeping figure. Slowly entering the room, she cleared her throat. When he didn't budge, she did it again, louder. This time she could hear the slight hitch in breathing as he turned to blearily look at his daughter.

"What the-"

"I'm going to camp." She interrupted, "And I'm going to be there for the rest of summer."

"Like hell you are!" He roared and began to get out of bed.

Calypso's heart rate quickened and her palms were sweating, but she stayed her ground, "Yes, I am. And if you try to stop me, I'll tell the cops about your abusive behavior." Her body began to shake but she tried to maintain the upperhand.

He scoffed, "They'd never believe you."

"Maybe not," she squeaked, fear constricting her voice. She swallowed and her voice came out stronger, "But the accusation will be enough for me to get emancipated. In which case, it won't matter anymore because I'll be able to leave. That means no more checks from the government, Dad. What will you do without your precious drinking money?"

The fire in his eyes made Calypso feel like she was burning. The silence between them thickened and the room began to spin under Calypso's feet. She couldn't keep up the act much longer. Before long though, he sneered, "Whatever. It's not like you do anything anyways. Leave. What do I care?" With that, he turned around and crawled back in bed as if the entire altercation had never happened.

Calypso backed out of the room and, when the door closed behind her, she let her shoulders slump. She slid to the floor and put her head between her knees to stop the world from spinning. She knew it was only a temporary fix, but right now it was all she needed. She'd deal with the aftermath when summer was over. For now, she just wanted away.

She didn't know how long she sat like that but before long the honk of a car sounded outside. She pulled herself off of the floor and took a deep breath. In the hallway mirror she made herself presentable and fixed an uneasy smile on her lips that didn't reach her bloodshot eyes. With a last glance around her house, she made her way into Piper's car where she was greeted by the cheers of her friends. Piper looked at her with concern and rested her hand on Calypso's. Calypso closed her eyes and let her mind wander all the way to camp.


	3. Nico POV

***awkwardly shuffles into room* So..um...hi...I'm so so sorry for not updating in so long! I hate it when authors just abandon a story, but I didn't think anyone liked it. I saw the reviews, though, so I'm going to jump back into this story. I promise to make up for the unexpected hiatus! *awkwardly shuffles out of room***

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Nico opened his eyes as his sister unceremoniously waltzed into his room.

"Nico, we have to go. Is your stuff even packed? Nico, everyone's already in the car!" The sound of his older sister's voice grated on Nico's nerves. He's never happy when he wakes up and waking up to her voice is the most irritating wakeup call ever.

When Nico came home he'd just wanted to sleep, but the entire house was bustling trying to pack for summer. In protest of being exiled from his home for three months, Nico mustered all his willpower and forced a nap in spite of the noise.

Now, however, he regretted his decision as he watched his sister rummage around his room. Bianca dug through his closet in search of a suitcase. Nico watched her questioningly before seeing her tear through his drawers and hastily throw his clothes in the bag. He realized that she had been lecturing him on his preparation skills the entire time.  
"Cease your incessant prattle, woman." He said in response to her mother hen tone. Lazily, he rolled out of bed to face his sister. "What are you doing?!" Bianca stood with his boxers spread between her hands, the dancing skeleton pattern bright against the black cloth. He ran to his sister and wrapped his fingers over her small wrists to stop her from going through his underwear drawer. Seriously, did she have any boundaries?! His face burned brightly and he seethed at the sight of her smirk. Nico passive aggressively turned his sister around and motioned for her to walk away. Instead, she swiftly turned towards his bed and sat down, her arms and legs crossed in an expectant manner. When she shouldered past him he noticed with a hint of satisfaction that he was as tall as her. Not nearly as tall as Percy, but at least tall enough to look his sister in the eyes.

Nico began throwing his clothes in a random bag, not bothering to check if they were clean or dirty. Grabbing a handful of underwear his eyes met his reflection over his dresser. Puberty had definitely changed him. Thanks to his fencing classes, he now had lean muscles that defined his arms and ran down his currently bare chest. He'd lost his baby face. His jaw had gotten slightly more defined and his features were more acute. His hair, still the jet black wavy mess it had always been, now fell into his eyes and dusted the tops of his cheekbones.

But puberty wasn't what made his eyes dark and underlined with bruising. Puberty didn't make his pink lips set in a scowl or his skin ghostly pale. Who would have thought the thing that had made his life seem so bright could cause so much destruction? _Bitter irony of the gods, I suppose_.

"Are you even listening?" Bianca's reprimanding voice brought Nico out of his reverie. "Honestly, Nico, I don't understand you sometimes. Why do you have to act like you don't care about anything?"  
Nico felt his face flush in anger and rolled his eyes. Just to irritate her, he shrugged his shoulders in a noncommittal gesture. That seemed to do the trick.

Bianca huffed, "You know I hate it when you do that."

"Why do you think I do it?" Nico replied nonchalantly.

"Nico!"

He brought his eyes up to hers and dramatically gestured to his current handful of clothes, "Yes, Bianca! I'm getting my stuff." He sarcastically shoved the clothes into his bag which seemed to be just over the top enough to break his sister. She stared pointedly at him and he stared back until she finally deflated and walked out of his room.

Nico sighed and turned back to the mirror as he listened to his sister's receding footsteps. He didn't want to go to that stupid camp this year. His dad forced him every year because he was under the impression it would help Nico make friends. In reality, Nico watched his sisters have fun with their friends as he sat alone in the boiling sun, cursing society. Nico just made people uncomfortable. He'd learned to accept it and he knew it was nothing summer camp could fix. It's not as if he didn't try. He'd been part of a group once, part of a family. But everything changed when he hit puberty and realized how fundamentally _different_ he was. Hazel ended up fitting in with them in a way he never could. It was so effortless for her to be likeable. He wondered if he'd been like that once. But that was a long time ago. He was a different person then. Now, Nico couldn't bring himself to face them...to face him.

Nico ran his hand through his hair and stared into his obsidian black eyes. Out of all of his siblings, Nico had always looked the most like their father. His eyes held the same dead intensity. However, where Hades' eyes were cruel and distant, Nico's held more sadness and anger.  
Hades, living up to his namesake, owned a morgue in downtown Manhattan. He'd met Maria, Nico's mother, when he was young, in his mid-20's. Before Bianca's third birthday, Maria was diagnosed with cancer. Hades took her loss hard, now having two toddlers to care for on his own. Needing help, he'd hired a live-in nanny and, well, Hazel was conceived not too long after that. In less than a year, he had married Persephone, perfecting the beautiful household. They weren't allowed to bring up Maria. It's as if she'd never existed. But Nico could still see her in the curve of his nose and the shape of Bianca's smile. They didn't get it all from their father.

Shaking his head, Nico pulled on a discarded black shirt and turned to work on packing. Before long he heard the telltale creak at the door and rolled his eyes.

"Calm down, Bianca. I'm packing." When he didn't hear a response, he turned to see...not Bianca.

Hazel's dainty figure was half covered by the doorframe and Nico saw her golden eyes study him with great intensity.

"Hazel?" Nico asked in shock.

"Hi." She replied shyly and stepped fully into the room.

"What-?"

"I came up to check on you, but...when I saw you looking in the mirror I kinda froze up." She interjected quickly. Looking at him steadily, she asked, "Are you okay? Honestly? Because if you really don't want to go, I'll back you up with Father. He won't make you go if we both say no."

Nico felt a small smile tug at the corners of his mouth. Hazel was always trying to help him, trying to make him happy. They protected each other. She was willing to stand up to their father and miss out on camp just to make him happy.

"In all honesty?" He asked and Hazel nodded her head, "I don't know. I want something, Hazel, but I know I can't get it here or at camp."

Hazel nodded knowingly, "Maybe you haven't really looked."

Nico stared at his baby sister and chuckled dryly, "I know exactly what I'm looking for, but it's impossible, so there's no point in trying."

Hazel gently rested a hand on her brother's arm, "Nico, I know you. Maybe the problem is that you think you've found what you want and you refuse to look at other possibilities. In all actuality, if you gave it a chance, you could find what you were really looking for all along."

The room was still for a few moments, before Nico pulled Hazel into a hug, her cinnamon curls tickling his nose.

Muffled by his chest, Hazel whispered, "You know you can tell me anything, right?"

Of course he did. Hazel would never turn him away...but some things are better left unsaid. Not until I can admit it to myself, Hazel. Not yet. But to her, he said, "Of course, Haze."

She pulled away and stared at him for a while before turning her attention to the mess of clothes on his bed. She laughed, "Then, let's get you ready for camp."


	4. Highway to Hell

Nico wanted to roll out of the moving vehicle. He was stuck between Hazel and Bianca so his knees were practically glued to his chest. Bianca was silently fuming and glaring out of her window.

Hades had decided against leaving her with the car for the summer and the resulting argument had given Nico a killer migraine. It was only made worse by his dad and stepmom up front positively gushing about their plans for summer. They're going to Italy or Greece or something while the kids are at a camp in Long Island. _Yeah, 'cause that seems fair_ , Nico thought and rolled his eyes. He looked over and saw Bianca staring at him. Her dark eyes pierced into his and he raised his eyebrow. Was she about to take it out on him now? She probably thought he'd said something to Hades, knowing her. Nico didn't care enough, though, to ruin her 'totally fun summer' of hooliganing around in their dad's car. Bianca pursed her lips and looked like she wanted to say something but thought better of it and turned her head to resume pouting at the window.

He had a strange mix of relief and disappointment. He wanted to talk to her so badly it ached, but not this Bianca. Nico wanted the old Bianca. The one who wore a green cap and genuinely cared about what he had to say. But that Bianca was dead. She'd been killed by the Hunters and this ghost of her was left behind to torment Nico.

According to rumor, the Hunters were formed by a girl who had become smitten with a boy who in the end betrayed her. She was so outraged in her heartbreak that she started an all-girl gang who had to swear off of all romantic interaction with males. High school is nothing if not dramatic. They mainly kept to themselves, but every now and again you'd hear about another girl joining their ranks. Nico never noticed or cared until that fateful day Zoe Nightshade waltzed into his life and ruined everything. To them, Bianca was special, because, while most girls joined out of spite from a bad relationship, she joined to free herself from the burden of responsibility. The burden of him.

The change was visible; her long dark hair came out of its usual ponytail to fall in waves down her back, the green cap she always drew down to hide her face was replaced by a shining circlet that all of the Hunters wore, her olive skin glowed, her actions were now always sure and full of grace, and a bright smile almost always danced across her lips. The only person who didn't accept her transformation with open arms was Nico. They had been more than brother and sister; they were best friends. Their inseparable bond was broken when she joined the Hunters and tossed him aside as easily as that worn out cap. It was a slap to the face, how quickly he'd been replaced, and the betrayal hit him harder than it should have. If she was going to suddenly shut him out then fine, he could play that too. Thus the two now seldom speak to one another and when they do it usually ends in a fight.

A slight nudge from Hazel brought him back and he turned to look at his half sister. She was smiling and he followed her gaze to the window where he could make out figures in the distance. As they pulled up, he saw it was Piper, that weird hyper kid, Baby Grace, and Calypso standing on top of Half-Blood Hill.

 _So Calypso caved too_ , Nico thought, _hopefully, Kayla and Rachel will be right about this summer going well. All else aside, we're stuck with our decision now._

Nico groaned as the car slowed to a stop. The door opened, marking the point of no return, and Nico scowled as he slid out of the backseat after Bianca.


	5. The Cooliest

Calypso gazed around at the completely foreign territory. Hills surrounded a wide clearing that faded into the murky blue of the Long Island Sound. A winding stream curved around a section of the camp, severing the area, and its' cabins, in two. On one side there's a forest and a large dome-like building. On the other there are what appears to be horse stables and some sort of field.

They stared blankly at Calypso, who had officially given up and was just staring at the sky.

"Did she die?"

Leo poked at the girl, receiving a kick in the shin, "Nope!" He grunted, jumping on one foot, "Definitely not dead! Oh holy balls, that was not awesome."

With a grin, Piper acknowledged Calypso sit up on her elbows, "There we go! She's just finally getting into some Camp Half-Blood spirit!"

Calypso cocked her head to the side, her cinnamon curls falling into her face from her undone braid, "Camp Half-Blood?'

"Yeah!" Jason extended his arms to gesture at the encampment below them, "Did you never wonder why we call ourselves the Demigods?"

She pursed her lips, "I just assumed you guys were kinda crazy and thought it'd be cool to name yourselves."

"No, that wouldn't make any sense at all." Leo interjected, "We all met each other through Camp _Half-Blood_ and THEN thought it'd be cool to name ourselves. And we were right. The Demigods are the cooliest."

Before Calypso could facepalm herself into the next dimension, a familiar voice behind her made the group jump, "Oh no. That's the I'm-about-to-kill-Leo face."

"Hazel! Jesus, we didn't see you- Hey wait a minute! What do you mean the I'm-about-to-kill-Leo face?!" aforementioned boy, in all his ADHD glory, said.

Hazel just laughed in a way that reminded Calypso of bubbles popping, "Oh Leo, by now I'm able to tell when someone wants to hit you. After years of seeing their faces right before, it's kinda predictable at this point."

Jason ruffled the pouting Latino's hair. Bianca stopped at Hazel's left to greet the group as Nico trudged past with only a nod of acknowledgement. While Hazel stared almost worriedly after her brother, Bianca only huffed and whispered, "He didn't want to come but Dad thinks him socializing with people his age will help to get him out of his shell. I almost wish he'd just stayed home so I didn't have to deal with his constant attitude this summer. It's getting worse, I swear."

"If that won't work at the very least he'll get some sun. He's so pale. It's like he's a ghost." Leo joked crudely.

Hazel slapped him in response, still staring after Nico's retreating form, "I wish you guys wouldn't talk about him like that. He needs friends, not bullies."

Bianca clenched her jaw but stayed silent. Her eyes seemed just as distant as her sister's. Piper placed a hand on Hazel's shoulder and said, "He'll be okay. We're all here with him and, while Leo is irritating with his 'Ghost King' jokes, he knows we don't mean it. Frank will keep the Repair Boy in check."

"Oh, has Frank shown up yet?" Hazel perked up at his name, looking around with a lovelorn expression.

"I'm not sure. I have yet to explore the prison I've been sentenced to." Calypso replied sarcastically, but her smile faltered slightly at the truth in her words.

"You act as though you were forced. If you'd rather go home then we won't stop you." Piper, tactful as ever, interjected with a smirk, "I'm sure there are plenty of chores left for little Cinderella at home."

As an answer, Calypso raised her eyebrows and snorted.

"That's what I thought." Piper grabbed her arm, "Now, are we going to stand here all day or go show the new kid what she's been missing?"With that they made their way up the hill after Nico. Calypso noticed Hazel sending her a sympathetic glance that Calypso chose to ignore.

* * *

Nico left the little group behind and trudged his way to Thalia's tree, perched at the top of Half-Blood Hill so it looked over the encampment. He paused to stare at it. Normal people would walk past this tree and think it was nothing more than an ordinary pine tree. But Nico was a Demigod, one of the few original Half-Bloods. Sometimes, he almost forgets what it was like. Before people were scared of him or shied away, when he felt complete, and normal. _But I wasn't_ , Nico reminded himself, _It's all fine and dandy to miss it, but don't delude yourself into thinking they cared. They don't. He doesn't._

From his spot by the tree, he could see the amphitheater and the strawberry fields and the forest where he spent most of his time disappearing into the shadows. He had to admit, he did miss the scenery. It was beautiful and peaceful. Until, of course-

"Hey, are you okay?" Nico spun around wildly, startled by the voice to his left. _Holy Hera_ , Nico thought to himself, _Can a guy not get five freaking seconds?_

Standing next to him was none other than Will Solace, his tall body doubled over in laughter, "You look like you saw a ghost! Calm down, I'm not going to kill you."

Nico glared at the blonde. Will only grinned back. In defeat, Nico huffed and turned around, walking toward the camp. He could hear Will's uncoordinated footsteps following him down the hill.

"Wait! Nico! I mean it, man. Are you okay?" Will went to grab Nico by the arm, making Nico tense at the contact and pull away. Will let his arm go limp and then sheepishly scratched at the back of his head, "Sorry. I know you don't like being touched by people...or talking to people...or being around people…"

Nico squinted his eyes at the boy, "What are you doing?"

At that, Will looked confused, "Um..Wh-What do you mean?"

"I mean," Nico said, stepping closer to Will with an accusatory glare, "What are you doing? Why are you talking to me? Did Kayla tell you to do this? Be my freaking welcoming committee?"

Nico was surprised by the look of hurt on Will's face as the boy gently whispered, "I came because we're friends."

The boys sat in strained silence; Nico, in shock, and Will, in embarrassment.

"So," Nico began tentatively, a blush flushing his cheeks, "we're friends?"

Will glanced up at Nico, "I mean, I thought we were. We used to talk a lot back in the day and I always thought you were cool. I've been wanting to talk to you for a while and I guess..I don't know..I saw you by the tree and I wasn't thinking so I'm sorry."

Nico sat there staring dumbfounded at the older boy. His mouth hung in a slight O and he couldn't seem to form words. He had never thought about Will as a friend before. They had only talked a few times.

"Um...I'm going to go. I have a job in the infirmary this year, so I need to take inventory." Will said. Nico slowly began to nod and Will went to walk away before turning around and adding, "But, um, if you need me, I'll be there. Like...if you want." Will smiled and then ran off in the direction of the infirmary.

Nico sat there staring after him for a while, wondering if he'd hit his head and the whole thing was some weird coma dream. Shaking his head, he started his trek to the Big House to check in and drop his stuff off. He couldn't help but feel like the earth was going to open at his feet and swallow him up whole.


	6. Meet the Crew

Piper dragged Calypso down the hill to what she called the "Big House." After checking in with a very nervous boy, they dropped off their luggage and Piper wrote down the cabin they were apparently staying at.

"Don't worry." Hazel said to Calypso, "Argus will take our stuff to the cabin. It'll be waiting there for us tonight."

Calypso gestured to the trembling boy, skeptical that he could hold himself let alone luggage. Hazel just laughed and explained, "That's not Argus. Argus is Camp Security! Mr. D, our Camp Director, is kind of..um..lazy. He mostly has the scared newbies do stupid stuff for him like get his drinks and sort the files and stuff."

Calypso wrinkled her nose in distaste, "That guy sounds like a bully. Why do you guys like this place if--"

"Don't worry, you hardly ever see Mr. D. Which is good, because Percy would kill him if they had to spend too much time together. No, the REAL Director is Chiron but technically he's just the boy's camp advisor." Piper pointed to a middle-aged man in a wheelchair. He had gray streaks through his dark hair and a warm smile, but Calypso noticed the age in his eyes. They had the weight of a man who had seen too much. Piper smiled in a sad way, "He lost his legs in the war. He won't talk about it, but you can tell he's not over everything yet. Wait 'til you see him with Annabeth though."

Calypso quirked an eyebrow as her friends started laughing. She dismissed it though, already having information overload for the day. Bianca excused herself as soon as they stepped into the actual camp. Calypso watched as she ran up to a group of girls who greeted her cheerily. She hugged a woman with long silky black hair and obsidian eyes.

"That's Zoe Nightshade." Hazel whispered, following my eyes to the woman, "Now that Bianca is a part of the Hunters, Zoe comes over a lot. She seems uncomfortable around Nico, but that's how most people feel around him."

Calypso noticed a certain Latino sneaking behind the group of girls. He appeared to have a water balloon in his hand.

Calypso shook her head and tore her eyes away from the oncoming disaster to look around. Across the river, she saw decent sized buildings surrounded by a wide open space with two sections of benches.

"Dining Pavilion." Piper explained.

"Why are they separated?" Calypso asked.

"One side is for the Greeks and the other is for Romans."

"Greeks and Romans?" It would be her luck to stumble into the middle of a gang war during summer camp.

"Not gangs," Hazel clarified, knowing what Calypso was thinking, "the entire camp is separated by Greek and Roman affiliation. Romans are girls and Greeks are guys." She pointed to a row of columned marble building, "The right side of cabins are Roman," She gestured to a row of house-like buildings, "and the left are Greek."

"When the camp was first established, it was modeled after Ancient Grecian architecture and only guys were allowed, but, later on, as women started joining they decided it would be cool to mesh Roman history into it. Romans came after Greeks, you know? So they thought it would be symbolic and historically accurate." Piper motioned to a series of buildings, "The middle is neutral territory. That's where all of the activities take place. Most of the time, the activities are neutral, but sometimes we have Roman vs. Greek competitions. We take it very seriously. Blood has been spilt."

Hazel nudged Calypso playfully, "Pretty cool, right?"

"It's amazing." Calypso whispered breathlessly, staring at the buildings.

"Just wait until you see the Amphitheater."

"Oh, we should probably get going, actually." Piper said, walking towards a coliseum-like building, "Annabeth texted and said they're waiting for us."

Calypso and Hazel followed her into the Amphitheater and were met by cheers and hugs as their friends crowded around them.

"Calypso! You came!" Percy came and enveloped her into a bear hug.

Calypso blushed wildly and laughed as he let her go. She tried to focus on the other faces to calm her heart rate. She could see Percy (of course), Annabeth (Duh), Grover and Juniper, Silena wrapped around Beckendorf, Chris and Clarisse, Katie yelling at the Stolls, Jake sporting a cast on his leg, Malcolm smiling kindly, Piper and Jason talking rapid fire with Hazel and Frank, Octavian looking like he wanted to run away as he stood next to Rachel who was grinning like a maniac, Nyssa with her arm slung around Leo who had a red mark on his cheek and a grin that could rival Rachel's.

"Hey, guys!" Calypso laughed, as she was pushed into hug after hug. _Maybe_ , she thought, _this was a good idea._

* * *

"Di Angelo!"

Nico turned as a streak of purple collided with his chest. He tumbled to the ground where his attacker rolled off of him in a fit of giggles.

"May I help you?" he asked gruffly.

"You should've seen your face." Giggled one Lou Ellen. Nico turned to look at her. She'd dyed her mousy brown hair purple which contrasted nicely with her green eyes. Purple pixie cut, pale, freckled skin, and punk attire suited her wild, verging on reckless, personality very well. She'd dragged him into many 'adventures' throughout the duration of their friendship. None of them ended well for Nico.

"Nice hair." He said, rolling his eyes as Lou hopped to her feet and dramatically posed like a model. A hand was offered to him and he looked up into the brown eyes of Miranda Gardner, Lou's girlfriend.

"Hey, Nico! I'm not jumping into your arms." She smiled as she pulled him to his feet. "We can't all be Lou."

He smiled back and hugged her, the familiar smell of lilacs soothing him as it always did. Nico pulled back and looked at Miranda, her dark brown hair pulled into a side braid and her smile soft. Mira was like a mom to him. Not annoying and overbearing like Bianca could be, but doting like she genuinely cared about his well-being.

"Hey hey hey, get your grabby hands off my girlfriend, Di Angelo!" Lou jokingly pushed past him and draped a possessive arm around Miranda who laughed.

"Says the girl who just jumped me."

She snickered and hooked her arm through his, "I couldn't help it. You looked like a lost little puppy." She mock pouted until he put his hand on her face and gently pushed her away. She laughed, grabbing his and Miranda's hands and started leading them to the Amphitheater, "Come on, Di Angelo! Let's go watch our friends kill each other! I'll bring popcorn."

Nico shook his head to hide his smirk as Lou led the way.


	7. Slammed

"You want us to what now?" Calypso questioned incredulously.

"Spar. It's okay, no one's going to get seriously injured. It's a tradition! First day of camp, we spar." Annabeth explained.

"You mean like wrestling?"

"Yeah except with martial arts. We only use open hand maneuvers and nothing that will seriously injure your opponent, so nothing above the chest, okay?"

"Um…" and Calypso was thrown into a ring. It wasn't really a ring because there were several of them, each with a sparring pair locked inside. They had all gotten into gym clothes which, for her, consisted of shorts and a tank-top. She noticed, much to her mortification, that Percy was in the area next to her and for some reason he'd decided he didn't need a shirt. _Holy Hera_ , Calypso's face burned a cherry red, _Does he have no shame?_

Calypso tore her gaze across the ring at her partner, Hazel Levesque. Calypso didn't know if she could fight her since Hazel always seemed so…little, but staring at her now was like she was a completely different person. Her golden eyes turned predatory, her shy smile now daring as she stalked closer to Calypso. She'd never had any martial arts training, but she took a self-defense class for a while to help with her father's... mood swings. None of what she learned seemed to make a difference though, so she quickly dropped the class. Maybe she could try and remember some of that.

Hazel started bouncing on the balls of her feet as she advanced towards Calypso. Calypso brought her hands to her face in a boxing stance.

"I'll try and go easy on you." Hazel assured her, "You know, until you get the hang of it."

Calypso just gulped and waited for the other girl to move. Unfortunately, she still wasn't ready. Hazel was fast. Like..too fast. Before she knew what was happening, Hazel had knocked her legs out from under her, sending Calypso crashing to the floor.

Hazel rushed forward to lock her body over Calypso's but, for once in her life, Calypso had the weight advantage. She used the momentum from Hazel's lurch forward to push their bodies over so she was on top.

And then she froze.

She didn't know what to do after this. Her classes never prepared her for having the advantage. The split second of indecision was all Hazel needed. She slammed her body against Calypso's and pinned her to the mat. And it was over.

Hazel reached to help Calypso up, the shy smile back on her face, "You did really well. Especially for your first time."

Calypso only nodded numbly. She didn't know why, but the little sparring match had unnerved her. She tried not to let it show so she turned her back and acted like she was fixing her braid. She saw Percy finish his match against Jason. Using a move Calypso couldn't even begin to describe, Percy slammed his hand into the back of Jason's knees and pushed his body to the ground. Two seconds later came the soft beats on the mat signifying defeat. She stared in awe as they laughed and "bro-hugged" each other. This was normal. This was fun. This was...not her.

As she turned back around to face the bleachers she locked eyes with one Leo Valdez, already changed back into his regular clothes and tinkering with something in his lap. He smiled at her and she could only nod her head glumly. She didn't know why, they were hardly friends, but she walked up to him and took the seat next to his.

"Not your cup of tea?" He mumbled, eyes still focused on the metallic contraption he was fiddling with.

She didn't respond. She didn't know how to. Because it wasn't the game itself or the people playing it. The deep unsettlement started when she froze and only grew tenfold when she was slammed to the floor. It came from her inability to act, which always led to her pain. But this was Leo. She couldn't tell him that. So instead she just shrugged and sighed, "I guess not."

* * *

Nico sat in the bleachers and watched as everyone fought. There was a mix of different techniques such as karate, boxing, krav maga. He watched as Hazel easily pinned Calypso and shook his head. Poor girl.

"Look out into the sea of sweaty, fighting teenagers and smile, Nico." Lou said, beside him.

"There is something oddly pleasing about watching teenagers get pummeled by their friends." He responded. His eyes trailed off to wear a certain sea-eyed teen stood shirtless and triumphant over his opponent. He watched as the sweat from the nape of his neck trickled slowly down the constricting muscles of his back. Nico's heart pounded in his ears, almost drowning out the words his companion spoke.

"You should do it."

"What?!" He was sure his cheeks were flushed and he looked to her wildly. Surely she couldn't have known…

"Go fight!" She squinted at the surprising way relief crashed through his body before looking to where his eyes had been moments ago. A devious smirk played on her lips, "Come on, Nikki! Let's go fight! I bet we could beat them."

"No way! I refuse." Nico shook his head vehemently.

"You'll be fighting against the Greeks! They're nothing but smelly, sweaty, old boys! You can use swords. You took fencing. It'll be a breeze!" She said, dragging him out of his seat. He casted a helpless glance at Miranda who smiled apologetically.

"Are you coming, Mira?" Lou asked over her shoulder.

"Um I'm not really in the mood for wrestling." Came the shy response.

Lou cocked her head to the side and Nico could see the devilish glint in her eyes. She scampered away from him and pressed her body against Miranda, "Oh Mira dearest, I would never let you roll around on the ground getting hot and heavy with anyone other than me."

Surprisingly, even though her face was cherry red, the usually outspoken brunette winked, "Well, I mean...in _that_ case how could I say no?"

They locked eyes for an intense moment before Nico cleared his throat, his eyes on anything other than Miranda. He didn't think he'd ever be able to look at the girl the same way. Lou was a bad influence.

"Oh don't be such a sourpuss." Lou rolled her eyes and grabbed his arm again.

"I hate you so much." Nico whispered as he was shoved into a random ring.

Lou just smiled and said, "No, you don't. Try not to die!" And then she turned on her heel and seductively stalked back to her girlfriend.

Nico grunted and turned to face his opponent who turned out to be none other than Baby Grace. He was shocked, again, to see how different he looked from Thalia. Thalia was all contrasting shades of pale freckled skin, the only color being her electric blue eyes. Jason, on the other hand, had bright tan skin and blonde hair. He couldn't take the kid seriously after spending so much time with the Original.

Jason looked up and noticed Nico for the first time since he'd been in the arena. His blonde eyebrows raised in slight astonishment before he smiled and grabbed his sword. He was still sweaty from his fight with Percy, but he had to get one win under his belt or he'd be laughed at for sure.

Nico sighed and picked his weapon up before falling into a battle stance. He hadn't changed into gym clothes so he was still wearing his skull t-shirt and skinny jeans which was fine with him. He felt more comfortable fighting with clothes on. Jason, obviously, didn't share his feelings, Nico thought as he watched the other boy lumber towards him. Nico noticed a single bead of sweat trail down Jason's tanned chest. It didn't bother him the way Percy's had but it was distracting all the same.

Jason rotated his sword in his hand and slipped into a fighting stance. Nico took a deep breath to clear his mind before circling the arena. They stayed like that for a while, circling each other, waiting for someone to make a move.

Jason lunged forward and Nico sidestepped him, lightly tapping the back of Jason's head with the butt of his sword.

Jason pulled back and began circling again. Nico glided across the floor, his dark eyes trained on Jason's blue ones. He watched his body tense as the blonde rushed forward again. This time Nico let their blades connect. It was as if the fight was happening in slow motion. Jason's sword came down in a wide arch, Nico blocked and forced Jason's sword down. Nico thrusted down and Jason parried the attack.

Nico noticed people watching them, which made him uneasy. He decided to end the fight.

He brought his sword in and made like he was going to jab. As Jason went to block, Nico pulled his attack. Jason's arm was outstretched and defenseless. He didn't know why, of all moves, he chose this one. Maybe since the boy had been running through his mind all day. Whatever the case, it seemed right. Nico slid and pressed the tip of his blade to Jason's hilt and twisted downwards.

Jason's sword dropped to the ground wish a clang.

They sat in silence for a moment before a booming voice screamed, "Hey! That's my move!"

Nico looked up to see the sweaty faces of several people staring at him. Percy was standing atop the bleachers and...pouting.

Nico had indeed used a move that Percy favored. Percy had taught it to him a few summers ago and claimed it was a secret. Nico watched as Annabeth, beside Percy, rolled her eyes and told him to sit down.

A loud wolf whistle pierced the air. Nico turned to see Lou, Miranda pinned under her, smirking at him. It didn't last long before Miranda slammed her into the ground and pecked her chastely on the lips.

Nico let a begrudging smile cross his lips as a blush spread across his cheeks. Jason smiled and clapped him on the shoulder as they left the arena, "Hey, man, you're really good. Didn't even break a sweat."

Nico's blush deepened at the compliment. He didn't know how to respond so he just shrugged. Jason laughed openly, "Well, I'd really like it if we could do this again." He leaned in and whispered, "And maybe you can show me that trick you pulled. I'd love to see Percy's face if I whipped that out."

To everyone's surprise, Nico laughed, "Sure, I guess." And with that, he made his way out of the Amphitheater.


	8. Losing It

Jason's fight with Nico had been the last of the day and everyone had left to change. Calypso sat alone on the bleachers and rested her head in her hands, inhaling deeply. The adrenaline had worn off so now she was sore and tired. Her fight had gone by so quickly she had to replay it in order to remember what happened. She squeezed her eyes shut for a few minutes. When she opened them she jumped at the flash of light brown eyes, soft dark curls, and beaming smile close to her face. 

"What the fu-!" Leo squealed and flailed around wildly, "Stop! It's me!"

"I know! That's why I'm hitting you." Calypso growled, "What the balls, Leo?"

Leo rubbed his arm with a pout, "I just wanted to talk to you."

"About what?" She snapped.

"What made you change your mind?" Leo was standing over her with his hands in his pockets. 

"What?" She asked intelligently. 

He mumbled, staring at his feet, "To come to camp? You seemed pretty sure that your dad wouldn't let you come." 

"Oh." She wasn't expecting that. Calypso cleared her throat, "It's complicated, I guess." She did not wanting to spill her sob story all over Leo, but when she looked at him she saw that he was still staring at her expectantly, "Um, I asked him and he..well he reacted the way I thought he would. We, um, argued and well now I'm here so.." She found herself saying, trying her best to keep it from being too serious. 

Leo nodded his head in understanding and Calypso was afraid it was going to get awkward before he smiled, "Well, that's good." 

She blanched, "What?" 

He shrugged, pulling baubles from his pockets to mess with them, "If it isn't serious then it'll blow over by the time you get back," he idly twisted two wires together which made a fizzing sound that he didn't seem to notice, "and if it is serious then you have one hell of a vacation before you jump back into it." 

Calypso looked up at him and wondered for the millionth time how everything could just be so simple to him. Either it didn't matter or it did and he would give it time until it didn't matter again. She didn't know how he could live like that. It just seemed so juvenile, so irresponsible. But...she had to admit that, unfortunately, the man was right. If this was going to be her last chance at freedom then she should stop worrying and make the most of it. 

Leo pressed something into her hand. His fingers were covered in bandages and burns from the stupid trinkets he made and when he put his hand over hers the difference was startling. Her skin was smooth, soft, and a light cinnamon color. His skin was calloused from work, riddled in wounds, and covered in so much grime that, for all she knew, he was actually three shades lighter underneath. She looked at him warily just to receive that trademark grin. Opening her palm she saw a little bracelet of braided wire with what appeared to be little balls all over them. Calypso, again, looked up at Leo and he gently touched one end of the bracelet making all of the little balls light up in an array of colors. 

"I thought you could use this. It'll help you, ya know…" he paused, making sure she was looking him in the eyes before, "lighten up." 

Calypso laughed. She couldn't help it. In fact, she knew it wasn't even that funny. But she laughed so hard she had to hold herself because she was afraid she'd split in two. She fell off the bleachers, feet firmly in the air, and cackled like a witch. 

Everyone rushed to the small group and looked wildly between Calypso's flailing figure and the terrified Latino. 

Piper smacked at Leo and whispered, "What just happened?" 

Leo recovered, setting a smirk on his face, "I'm funny, that's what happened." 

Jason opened his mouth, closed it, opened it again, "No, Leo, like actually what happened?" 

"I'M FUNNY AND NOW SOMEONE FINALLY APPRECIATES JUST HOW AWESOME THE SUPER-SIZED MCSHIZZLE REALLY IS!" 

At this, Calypso rolled on the floor with tears in her eyes. When she finally got herself under control, she looked up at them blissfully dumbstruck, "This isn't real. Can't be. Summer vacation? Sparring matches? Leo, funny? Yeah, right." 

Piper cracked a small smile and nodded to Annabeth, "It's the "no freakin' way" breakdown." 

Percy shrugged, "Happens to the best of us." 

Frank panda face scrunched up in worry, "Yeah, but I haven't seen one this bad since...well-" 

"Me." Leo looked up at everyone and cracked a grin, "But I think mine was waaayyyyy more dramatic." 

Everyone nodded in agreement, staring down at the mess that was Calypso. It was true. Leo's freak out was legendary. He'd wandered into the woods by himself, supposedly chasing after some golden dog, and found himself trapped in a forgotten Capture the Flag net. No one knows exactly what happened, but the Latino was gone for days. The entire camp searched for him until one day he just walked into the dining pavilion complaining about how he found "the lack of tacos disturbing". A laughing fit had nothing on that.

As the giggles slowly subsided, Percy hauled her into his arms, "Okay gals, I think this one needs a little sleep before she goes completely CooCoo for CoCo Puffs." The girls grimaced and led him to their cabin. 

Percy's scent, which for some reason always reminded her of the ocean, enveloped her. She tried to fight the blush crawling up her cheeks to no avail. She occasionally casted a glance at his ridiculously beautiful face. Seriously, how did someone look like that. The oblivious boy would just grin down at her, like he didn't know how adorable he was. Calypso sighed and let her head hit his shoulder, reveling in the warmth for as long as it was there.

As the delegated leader of the Romans, she would be sharing a cabin with Annabeth until she got adjusted to camp. Calypso noticeably winced at the news. Yay, Calypso thought, 'cause that won't be weird at all.

The exhaustion of the day finally took over as her head hit the pillow. Absently fingering the bracelet wrapped around her wrist, Calypso's last thought before drifting to sleep was how strangely nimble Leo's bandaged up fingers were.


	9. I'm an Ass

"Please!"

Nico quickened his pace, but Lou still trailed persistently after him.

"No, Lou." He gritted out.

"But you had fun! I saw it!" She huffed after him, matching his long strides, "Maybe this year will be different. Obviously, they don't hate you even though you are all broody and emo-"

"Is this you trying to make a case for yourself? 'Cause it's really not working."

Lou sighed dramatically, "You are such a bore! Why do I even try with you?"

"I was thinking the same thing." He grumbled, now irritated, "Maybe you should just give up."

Sensing Nico's irritation, Miranda grabbed Lou's arm, "Maybe we should talk about this later."

Lou ignored her and continued pestering Nico, "Oh, don't be such a sourpuss. My mission in life is to make sure you have fun! Please!"

Nico gritted his teeth, "Lou, you know I'm not good around people, so what on earth makes you think I'd want to go to a party?"

"It isn't just any party! It's Percy's party!" Nico's body turned rigid and he stopped walking. Lou turned to face him, insisting, "Besides, it isn't until tomorrow. All I'm asking is that you at least think about it before you get all mopey. All of our friends are going to be there!"

"I don't have any friends." Nico sneered. Ever since the match, she'd been pestering him to go to Percy's party. They had spent all day together, Lou dragging Nico from one place to the next as if the scenery had changed since last summer. After enduring an entire day of Lou dropping not-so-subtle hints regarding his more-than-platonic feelings for one Percy Jackson, Nico's head throbbed and his heart hurt. She didn't seem to understand how heartbreaking false hope was. Now, the sun was beginning to set and he just wanted to go to his cabin and die. Why couldn't people just take the hint?

He turned to walk away before Lou spun him around and slammed him into the wall of a nearby cabin. He tried to catch Miranda's eyes which were wide while her mouth was covered by her hands, but the girl wasn't staring at him. Shock was written all over his face as he stared down at Lou. Her pixie face was contorted in a deadly rage he'd never seen before.

He went to move away from her, "Lou, what the hell do you think-"

"Don't bitch about not having friends because we both know that's bullshit." She slammed him into the wall again and held him fast with her forearm at his throat and her eyes cold, "You are surrounded by people who care about you, but you push them away! You isolate yourself. I've been really patient and waited for you to open up, but I'm done listening to you whine about something that you do to yourself. So, I'm going to Percy's party because they're my friends and I want to be with them. If you get your head out of your ass, you should come too. I'm sure they'd be very happy to see you."

With that, Lou detached herself from Nico and grabbed Miranda's hand. The astonished girl gave one final worried glance at Nico before being dragged off in the direction of her cabin.

Nico slid down the wall and stared at the retreating form of his best friend. Mira had her head bent low and was whispering into Lou's ear. He could see the smaller girl slump and allow Mira to lead her the rest of the way to the cabin. Nico absent-mindedly touched his throat where her forearm had held him in place.

Nico kept replaying the last few minutes, trying to process her words.

"Wow," He said to himself, "I'm an ass."


End file.
